Jagadguru Basaveshwara (Basava) Jayanti
- Recently, on the occasion of Jagadguru Basaveshwara (Basava) Jayanti, the Indian Prime Minister has paid tribute to him.
- Be aware that in 2015, the statue of Basaveshwara was unveiled by the Prime Minister on the banks of the River Thames in London.
Introduction
- Basaveshwar, a 12th-century Indian philosopher, politician and social reformer, was born in 1131 AD in Karnataka.
- He was primarily a Hindu Shaivite social reformer during the reign of the KalyaniChalukya / Kalachuri dynasty. He contributed to the Bhakti movement as a ‘Lingayat Saint’.
- The Lingayat community, which worships Shiva as the only deity, is a Hindu sect in India. Its special effect is seen in South India.
- They are also known as ‘Bhakti Bhandari’ (literally ‘Treasurer of Devotion’) or Basaveshwara (Lord Basava). He died in 1167
Basavanna’s Contribution
- Basavanna’s major preaching poems are compiled in the form of ‘Vachana’. Through these, he spread social awareness.
- Important Vachana such as the Shat-sthala-vachana, Kala-jnana-vachana, Mantra-gopya, Ghatachakra-vachana and Raja-yoga-vachana are included by Basavanna itself.
- His main movement was the Sharana movement, in which Basavanna, taught the common mans how to live happily in a rational social order like Gautama Buddha.
- The Sharana movement attracted people of all castes and, like most forms of the Bhakti movement, significant literature and oracles were composed under it.
- His compositions paved the way for many ‘Veerashaiva saints’. The AnubhavMandap established by Basavanna laid the foundation of social democracy.
- He believed that man becomes great not by his birth, but by his conduct in society. He emphasized on maintaining the dignity of manual labor while underlining ‘work’ as worship.
Source – PIB
